css editing and auto completion

So due to the fact that all of the CSS is in ELGG is in .php files, my editor (and several others I have tried) does not recognize the CSS and therefore does not colorize nor auto-complete the CSS.

I am currently getting around this my creating two CSS files, the .php version for elgg and then a second file with the .css extension.  I simply place an include in the .php file and place all of my css in the other file.  

Sure, now I have the opposite problem of my PHP inside the CSS file does not get autocompleted or colored.  But I have a lot more CSS than PHP in those files.

Am I the only one who cares about this and if not, what solutions have you all come up with the make your coding a little less painful?

  • $89 (Canadian dollars) isn't bad for that Stylizer program. I may download and test it out.  Looks like there is a free version too, a bit less feature rich.

    Komodo IDE has advanced quite a bit with the CSS styling.  If you need an all-around good tool, you can't beat Komodo.  If you're only concerned for CSS, then probably this Stylizer is your best choice.  ...Federico, have you tested Stylizer on the css.php files?  And how does it handle it?

  • TopStyle4 is only $79.95.  ...Which do you think is better?  Has anyone used both?

  • Hi all, http://www.blumentals.net/webuilder/ is worth a look - $35 and it supports CSS php etc etc with ftp and all the diddly dee  ;)

  • Well, I already have Dreamweaver CS4, Komodo IDE 5 and SecureCRT/FX 6.  I only got interested in this Stylizer because it is focusing on CSS.  Dreamweaver is pretty good, but there are some things that aggravate me about it.  ...Anyway, I downloaded Stylizer and am trying it out.  They expressly state that their software is compatible with 64bit Windows machines.  (And they are developing for Linux and Mac too.)

  • I checked everything out.  As far as I am concerned, the Stylizer is no better than Firebug (an extension for Firefox) and your regular editor.  And the TopStyle4 is no better than Dreamweaver.  So, I won't be purchasing Stylizer or TopStyle4.

  • I have to disagree with you Yakiv. Stylizer has saved me hours with its unique approach to CSS editing. I highly recommend everyone to give it a try.

  • Wow and this all from Daniels question how to tell Netbeans to use css styles on php files ;)  A simple additional feature of Netbeans to override styling for certain file type matches, would do the trick -> wish list in Netbeans forums.

    In the meanwhile, does anybody see a problem with <style type="text/css">..</style> around the css code? 

    Netbeans really rocks for Elgg:)

  • I think Federico works for skybound.ca.  :-P  LOLZ.

  • @Yakiv you know, I was pretty sure you were going to say something like that! :P

    @Tom there is no problem with using the style tag, but I always prefer to have my CSS in separate files if that is at all posible. It is just a matter of clean coding.

  • Hm, coming back on my previous remark to use <style type="text/css">..</style> around the css code ... it breaks in some cases the css code :(((  No idea why, took us some time to figure out some weird bugs, and this was causing it. Maybe because we have spaces between the closing php tag ?> and the start of <style...> ????

    Now Netbeans css highlighting has to go... bummer :(((